International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated every year on March 8th. It is a day dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women across the world and calling for gender equality. The history of IWD is a long and rich one that dates back over a century.

The origins of IWD can be traced back to the early 1900s when women in the US and Europe began to campaign for better working conditions and the right to vote. In 1908, a group of women in New York City organized the first National Women’s Day, which was observed on February 28th. The following year, the Socialist Party of America declared a National Women’s Day on the last Sunday of February, which was later adopted by other countries.

Then, in 1910, an International Women’s Conference was held in Copenhagen, Denmark, where over 100 women from 17 countries came together to discuss women’s rights and suffrage. It was at this conference that German socialist and women’s rights activist Clara Zetkin proposed the idea of an annual International Women’s Day. The proposal was unanimously approved, and the first International Women’s Day was celebrated the following year, on March 19th.

The early celebrations of IWD were marked by rallies, marches, and demonstrations calling for women’s suffrage, better working conditions, and an end to gender discrimination. In 1917, on the last Sunday of February (which fell on March 8th in the Gregorian calendar), women in Russia held a strike for “bread and peace” in response to the ongoing World War I and the shortage of food and fuel.

This strike was a turning point in the Russian Revolution, and it led to the downfall of the Tsarist regime. In recognition of this event, March 8th was declared a national holiday in the Soviet Union in 1917, and it has been celebrated as International Women’s Day ever since.

During the 1920s and 1930s, IWD became a global phenomenon, with celebrations held in countries such as China, Spain, and Mexico. However, during World War II, the focus shifted from women’s rights to the war effort, and IWD was largely forgotten. It wasn’t until the feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s that IWD was revived, with women’s groups and activists calling for a renewed focus on gender equality.

In 1975, the United Nations officially recognized International Women’s Day, and it has been celebrated as a global event ever since. Each year, the day is marked by a theme, and events are held around the world to celebrate women’s achievements and call for gender equality. Recent themes have included “Choose to Challenge” (2021), “Each for Equal” (2020), and “Balance for Better” (2019).

Despite the progress made over the past century, there is still much work to be done to achieve gender equality. Women continue to face discrimination and unequal treatment in many areas of life, including education, employment, and politics. International Women’s Day serves as a reminder that the fight for gender equality is ongoing, and that we must all work together to create a more equal and just world for all.

In conclusion, International Women’s Day has a rich and fascinating history, dating back over a century. It has been a platform for women’s rights and suffrage, and it has been celebrated across the world with marches, rallies, and demonstrations. While progress has been made, there is still much work to be done to achieve gender equality, and International Women’s Day serves as a reminder of this ongoing struggle.